Of Rain and Rivers
by MidnightDeception
Summary: Kuchiki Byakuya can't sleep. Urged into action by a feeling of unease, he finds he's not the only one who can't rest at night. What secret has Abarai been hiding all these years? ByaRen, posted in three parts.
1. I Will Find You by the River

**A/N: This story is independent of Sakura Petals and Thin Mints. I do not own Bleach or these characters, but the story and the things I put them through are indeed mine. This will be posted in chapters, as soon as I can finish them with my workload. I love you! Reviews= 3**

The moon rose to find Kuchiki Byakuya awake in bed, staring at the ceiling as he had been for hours. Sleep seemed miles away as his skin crawled. His mind was a swirling mass, memories and responsibilities combating for his attention. His body itched to move, but Kuchiki stubbornly refused to toss and turn.

Finally, the uncomfortable aching of his own body forced the noble to get up and move. He paced restlessly across his room. Finding no relief in the confined space, he threw his doors open and stalked out into the gardens. Once outside, the noble halted suddenly and looked up at the moon hanging heavily in the sky.

Something faintly tickled the edge of his mind, like a half-forgotten song. The blank face of the moon held no answers to his questions. Once again, his body urged for action and the noble began walking through his garden, too quickly to be called a stroll. His unbridled hair fanned out behind him along with the loose ends of his light grey silk robe as he strode along the pathways. A bitter wind blew across the gardens, making the leaves tremble.

The infinitely familiar flowers and carefully placed shrubs held no peace for the captain. Normally, he could stare into the koi pond for hours, but tonight he passed by without even a glance. His muscles cried for movement, his mind calling for peace. It felt as if something was nipping at his heels, forcing him onward. Again, there was a faint brush on the outskirts of his awareness, as if he was missing something.

After his third round of the gardens, the noble gave up and returned to his room. Quickly shedding his yukata in favor of a standard shihakusho, the noble slipped on his shoes. He hesitated as he reached for his captain's haori. Thinking better of it, he grabbed a dark purple cloak instead. A burst of reiatsu carried him across the lawn and over the outer wall.

The noble stopped at the gate leading out of Seireitei. He stood silently, impatiently, until the Third Squad guards realized he was there. Rousing themselves from their half-dreams, they opened the gate without hesitation. The shinigami had barely started pushing the doors open when the captain slipped between them and disappeared in a swirl of purple. The guards stared after him for a moment, wondering why he was in such a hurry and why his reiatsu was so disturbed. Without comment, they shrugged it off and closed the gates again.

Outside, Kuchiki basked in the feeling of the ground pounding beneath his feet. It felt as if the earth had a heartbeat, each step keeping time. He did not care were he was going; he had no destination in mind. He let his feet lead him, his mind calming with every pulse, every footfall.

Eventually, the sense of urgency was gone. Byakuya slowed, his breath coming in slow puffs. Looking around him, the noble found himself deep within an anonymous forest, every tree like an identical soldier keeping watch. The captain found his sense of direction had deserted him. He searched his mind and his surroundings for any sort of distinguishing marker, any sort of direction.

The moonlight filtered through the trees, tracing everything with an edge of silver sharp enough to cut. The wind blew, shaking branches and making the shadows dance. All around the foliage was unbroken, a discernable path nowhere to be found.

Kuchiki was shocked to feel his battle-tried nerves already taut with adrenaline.

The noble stopped walking and slowed his breathing, listening carefully. All was silent, except the pounding of his own heart and the groaning protests of the swaying trees.

Now that the undeniable force that had propelled him into action was gone, the noble felt oddly empty. That same feeling brushed his mind again, more persistently. It was different from feeling another shinigami's reiatsu. It felt...somehow colder. As if he was supposed to be feeling something, but was missing it completely.

Byakuya let his breath out slowly until his lungs were entirely empty. He consciously pushed all distractions out of his mind, suppressing the sound of his blood pounding through his ears. As his body began to cry out for oxygen, as his diaphragm began to protest its inactivity, he heard it.

There.

From the silence came the sound of a river faintly flowing in the distance. As he turned toward the sound, there was again that feeling of missing something and a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. The captain spun towards the movement, but it was already gone. On his guard, Kuchiki followed it. His hand came to rest on his hip, grasping for a weapon that was not there.

He cursed himself for forgetting Senbonzakura.

There was a tugging in his mind and another crimson flash. The moonlight reflected off the color, giving it an ethereal glow of its own. Without hesitating, Kuchiki leapt toward the movement, a kido spell already on his lips. He crashed through the trees, finding nothing more than silently swaying foliage.

He looked around himself, searching for some indication of where someone might be hiding. As his heartbeat slowed, Kuchiki began questioning his sanity. The air around him was void of any trace of reiatsu, the ground empty of any marking features.

Kuchiki sighed and closed his eyes, feeling the night air close in around him. He had to have been seeing things. Again, the wind picked up, brushing like ice against the bare skin of his face. It carried on it the feeling of needing to be somewhere. Byakuya began to shake his head, but stopped suddenly when the wind quieted over the sound of a twig breaking. His eyes shot open, searching wildly around. He spotted a splash of red and walked determinately towards where it disappeared.

It occurred to him that it might be his own curiosity that was leading him into a trap. He had no idea what was behind the next tree, or even what he was following. Doubt in his judgment began to creep from the shadows in his mind, but his pride stopped it short. He had chosen to take this unknown path after an unknown goal, and he would see it through. The feeling of absence continued to plague him, and he would have his curiosity sated, if only to return to a peaceful sleep.

Another glimpse, another direction. Kuchiki threw all doubts to the side and followed it resolutely.

There, between two trees, close to the ground, a splash of color like a pool of blood.

Near by, through the leaves, a hint of that crimson like a tropical bird.

Far off, glows of scarlet like the western sky.

The noble proceeded cautiously through the undergrowth, hiding behind the trees and trying to make as little noise as possible. Whenever he thought he might have been seeing things, there was another tantalizing glimpse of red. For reasons unbeknownst to the captain, he felt drawn to that shade, that one spot of color in the moon-bleached night.

For what seemed like ages, Kuchiki followed the flashes of red. Every sighting sent chills through the captain. The wind blew and a nearby branch groaned in protest, making the captain jump. The noble's nerves were taut with excitement, every movement in the night possibly belonging to the phantom he was following. Like some sort of humorless game, Kuchiki chased the faint glimpses of crimson through the forest.

There it was again, so tantalizingly close. Kuchiki reached out for it as he stumbled suddenly into the open. The sight that met him chilled him to the bone.

A river cut through the clearing like a silver vein, the faint gurgle he had heard before grown into a roar. A dark figure perched on a mossy rock at the bank. The wind blew and dark crimson hair rustled openly in the breeze. His back was bare, dark tribal tattoos standing out in contrast across his wide, muscular shoulders.

"Abarai Renji?" Byakuya said in shock. The man on the rock did not move. Slowly, the noble approached his vice-captain, quietly repeating his name, waiting for some sign of acknowledgement. As he got closer, he could see the goose flesh and minute shivering racking the other shinigami's body.

Kuchiki picked his way carefully over the mossy rocks to face his statuesque vice-captain. Renji's eyes were vacant, unfocused. His breath came in visible and irregular puffs.

"Abarai..." the noble whispered and placed a hand on the other man's knee, trying to gain his attention.

Slowly, the vice-captain's glassy eyes peeled themselves away from whatever they had been gazing at to focus on the captain. His jaw worked for a moment as he tried to speak.

"Eyes..." Abarai started, his own eyes drooping. "...like ashes..." Abarai's vacant eyes fell shut and he wobbled.

"Abarai, what is going on?" Kuchiki demanded.

Instead of answering, the vice-captain slumped forward and against his captain. Byakuya instinctively wrapped his arms around the larger man to catch him and took a step back.

The noble gasped and almost let the unconscious man slip to the ground. In bracing himself, he had stepped into the river, its icy waters biting at his foot and ankle. He gritted his teeth and maneuvered Abarai farther onto the bank, carefully laying him down on the grass.

The merciless wind found the water on his leg, making his muscles ache.

The noble looked over the prone body of his fukutaicho, searching for wounds. Finding only the shivering of his body, the captain unclasped his cloak and draped it across Renji's wide, tattooed chest.

Kuchiki sat down hard on the bank next to Abarai.

What was his vice-captain doing so far out of the Court of Pure Souls? Why was he so unresponsive? What did he mean by eyes like ashes? His mind swirled with questions. Was Abarai the phantom he had been chasing? Was he the one to give the noble that sense of urgency?

More importantly, why was there a gaping emptiness where Renji's fiery reiatsu should have been?

The noble turned to look to Abarai for answers. His shivers had subsided, his breath coming more regularly. The captain watched his blank, sleeping face for a long time. Without thinking about it, he reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair back from the sleeping man's forehead.

The contact burned his fingertips.

Kuchiki pressed a palm against the tattooed forehead. The soft skin felt feverish. The noble had to get Abarai to the fourth division. He stood and began to maneuver Renji's prone body carefully into his arms.

After a moment of struggling, Kuchiki stood, one arm supporting Abarai's back, the other hooked under the bend in his knees. The vice-captain's arms were crossed across his chest, under the thick purple fabric of the noble's cloak, but his bare back was freezing against Kuchiki's forearm.

The noble glanced around, realizing that he was still lost. He began flash stepping, following the river downstream. If this were the river he was thinking it was, then it would lead him all the way back to Seireitei.

He ran, not paying attention to much else besides the cold body in his arms. Abarai began mumbling, his face flushing. The noble searched him for signs of injury, for an explanation of the absence of reiatsu, and came up with nothing. Maybe Unohana-taicho would be able to explain what was afflicting his vice-captain.

As the trees began to thin, Kuchiki could see the wall around Seireitei. The sight made him run faster. As he cleared the tree line, he altered course, heading for the nearest gate.

"Open the gates!" He ordered when he could see the Third Squad members outside. For a moment, they simply stared at him, surprised. Those three words held none of the calm, cold captain's voice they were all used to. They held the full weight of concern bordering on panic. A split second after the phrase sunk in, they began hurriedly pushing the gate open. Byakuya did not slow or wait for the gates to be completely open before he went through them. He blurred between the half-open doors and was gone. The Third Squad members registered three things: the speed of the captain, a flash of red, and the large, unconscious body in his arms.

Byakuya burst into the quiet Fourth Division offices. He hurried through the waiting area, carried Renji directly to the back, and laid him on one of the awaiting cots, far away from the sleeping shinigami there for various maladies. A night nurse appeared, flustered, in the doorway, the question already on her lips, when the noble turned to her.

"Get Unohana-taicho." His voice was calm, but his eyes were wild. His reiatsu flared, forcing the girl to lean against the doorframe to remain standing. She nodded silently and stumbled down the hallway to Unohana's private room.

The noble sat down on the bed next to Renji's sleeping form. The chill in his ankle had spread, his entire leg aching. He felt drained of energy. He pressed his palms against his eyes, cradling his aching head.

"You found him."

Kuchiki looked up at the sound of Unohana's voice. She stood in the doorway, a tired look in her eyes but a soft smile on her face.

"'Found him?'" He asked. "You knew he was gone?" It was getting hard to focus on anything. The room blurred in front of him.

"He'll be mad that you found out this way," she said softly as she entered the room. Slowly, she sank onto the bed next to the noble. "No other choice really..."

"Unohana-taicho, please explain yourself."

"Abarai Renji is a sleepwalker. Has been since he was a boy."

The noble stared wide-eyed at his vice-captain's sleeping figure. How had he not known about that? After all these years in the same division, even on real world missions together, Kuchiki had no idea.

Unohana smiled knowingly. "He hides it well, doesn't he?"

Kuchiki shook his head in disbelief. "How could I not know? How could he not tell me?"

"He was afraid that you would demote him if you found out."

The noble turned to face the other captain. Only after many years of practice could Unohana see the worry and disbelief in the slightly listless look he gave her.

"As long as it didn't interfere with his work..." The noble started, but trailed off uselessly as he remembered all the times Abarai had fallen asleep in the office. "It does, doesn't it?"

"Indeed. Recently it has been getting worse. We have had to take special precautions. I have a person from the Fourth Division assigned to follow him and bring him back. However, he always seems to be able to evade them."

Kuchiki thought of the time he spent following that red phantom and nodded.

"He got some sort of charm from Urahara that binds his reiatsu and prevents him from hurting himself or others."

The noble simply nodded. "Is it normal for him to wander so far?"

"Where did you find him?" Unohana's voice was wary.

"I found him a fair distance down the river. I happened upon him following an odd sense I was getting. It was keeping me from sleeping. He was perched on a rock, staring into the river when I found him, shirtless and freezing."

"He does seem to be attracted to bodies of water. We normally find him near the river. We once found him in your koi pond."

"You found him in my koi pond, and you didn't think it necessary to inform me? Not only as his superior officer, but as the owner of said pond I should have been told about the incident."

"It was his express wish that you never know."

Kuchiki looked at her for a moment before dropping his head into his hands.

"You must be tired, after chasing him around all night. Would you like me to prepare you a bed here or would you rather go back home?"

"I did not know what I was chasing." Kuchiki answered suddenly. He squared his shoulders and looked blankly at the far wall. "All I knew was that I was missing something, something important, like an appointment or something of the sort. Whether I stay here or go home, this feeling will still keep me from sleeping. Do you have anything to help?"

Unohana looked sagely at the noble for a moment, her smile faint and knowing.

"I think I can help." She stood and walked over to Abarai's sleeping body. Carefully, without rousing him, she lifted one of his arms out from under the thick infirmary blanket. Slowly, she pulled a dark string of beads off his wrist. As it slipped over his hand, the room filled suddenly with the warmth of Abarai's reiatsu.

Kuchiki inhaled sharply, taking in the scent of earth and water.

"I believe that this is what you where missing." Unohana smiled warmly as she dropped his hand cautiously back onto his bare chest. "It's not uncommon for captains to subconsciously track the reiatsu of their underlings."

The noble stood as if to leave. Unohana was right; the uneasy feeling that had been nagging in the pit of his stomach was gone. Fatigue weighed heavily on his shoulders.

"However, I have never seen anyone able to track someone down by the absence of their reiatsu. You two must be close."

Byakuya looked at the sleeping man. Renji's hair fanned out over the pillow in seemingly endless waves. His lips were slightly parted, the shine of drool gathering dangerously at the corner of his mouth. The furrow between his eyebrows was missing. He looked at ease, not the worried, fitful sleep he normally caught at the office.

"I would not say 'close'." He turned to leave. Pausing in the doorway, he continued. "We shall keep this particular incident between us. Thank you for watching out for him, Unohana-taicho, but from now on, I will look after my own."


	2. You Will Find Me Curled by the Oceans

Kuchiki Byakuya stood staring out at a stormy sea, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. He had never been a fan of real world missions, especially ones that required the use of a gigai, but this particular view held his interest. Behind the dark grey streaks of storm clouds, the setting sun could be seen in brilliant flashes. Even as the clouds lit themselves with lightning, the entire sky was dyed with a brilliant crimson.

Such a deep red that Byakuya had only seen the color in one other place.

"Oi! Taicho!" Byakuya started unperceptively and turned to face his vice-captain. Abarai was jogging toward him, waving two cards in the air. His braid bounced with each step, in perfect time with the jingling of the chain on his baggy jeans. "I got our room keys. Do you want me to carry your bags?"

The captain looked past Abarai at the hotel. It was a short, unimposing building, silk screens and bamboo halls almost completely hidden behind trees. He could see the steam from the outdoor hot springs rising behind a rock wall. It was a traditional Japanese spa, one that was undoubtedly owned by Urahara Kisuke or someone else affiliated with the Court of Pure Souls.

"I believe there are people who are paid for such tasks, Abarai."

Abarai turned swiftly around, almost tripping over the two slight men in matching kimonos standing behind him.

"Oh, sorry. Here. We're in room 2b." The vice-captain nonchalantly dropped his bag into one of their waiting arms, making the other man stumble under the weight. As one of them struggled with Abarai's bag, the other silently picked up the captain's luggage and bowed deeply. The noble slightly inclined his head in acknowledgement. "So, taicho, you ready to go inside?"

Kuchiki looked at his vice-captain, a very slight curve to his lips. "What did I tell you about calling me taicho while we were here?" Abarai stared back, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"Gomen." He ducked his head.

"Gomen..." the noble prompted.

"Gomen...K-kuchiki."

Kuchiki nodded, knowing that it would not be the last time he would have to remind him.

"I believe that I will go for a walk." The captain walked over to his slightly dejected fukutaicho and plucked one of the plastic keys out of his hand. "Room 2b, you said? I will return, Renji." He turned on his heel and began to walk gracefully away, but not before catching the surprised look and rush of blood to the redhead's face. Heading for the darkening beach, he allowed a small smile.

The shifting sand beneath his bare feet was a welcome change to the hard concrete and ill-fitting shoes. He walked slowly down the beach, watching as the clouds advanced towards the shore and the sun fell towards the horizon. Everywhere, families were packing up their picnics and pulling children away from the tide pools. Slowly, the beach emptied until Kuchiki was the only one to see the sun's final stand before being swallowed by the sea. A salty wind blew the noble's hair back away from his face, heralding the coming storm. Not the slightest bit deterred, the noble sat carefully upon a rock and silently watched the waves break against the shore.

The captain knew that he should return to the hotel and rest, but in the past few weeks, sleep had become seemingly unnecessary. After finding out that Abarai was a sleepwalker, the person who followed him and made sure that he made it home safely was always the captain. Kuchiki found he could not sleep until Abarai was back in bed, that peaceful look on his face showing how content he was to finally be back home. In spite of the bracelet that bound his reiatsu, the vice-captain's shunpo greatly improved while sleep walking, often giving the captain a run for his money, although that is something the captain would never admit. During the day, Kuchiki found himself opening up possibilities for Abarai to tell him. He constantly checked his underling's reiatsu for signs of unease, and he no longer woke up his vice-captain when he fell asleep after a particularly arduous night.

Returning Abarai home often required the captain to carry the larger man. The vice-captain would get a certain distance out, then collapse into an uneasy, but true, sleep. So many times Kuchiki had wanted to ask what he was running from, only to change the topic before asking. Kuchiki did not want Abarai to learn of his involvement before the redhead first came clean about his condition.

A fat, warm rain droplet splattered against the captain's cheek, but he did not react. His mind was far-gone, chasing a red phantom through the trees.

Night after night of chasing Abarai through the underbrush was almost beneficial to the captain. His shunpo was improving, slightly but enough for his squad to notice during training drills. That day he had tactfully circumvented the curious questions from his vice-captain, simply saying that recently he had gotten a lot of practice. Taking the hint hidden in his tone, Abarai quickly changed the subject and ceased his line of questioning.

All around him, it began raining harder, the droplets soaking quickly through the thin fabric of his white button up shirt. Kuchiki didn't move.

As he got stronger, the captain's hand-to-hand battle skills also improved. He was able to take on people larger than he was without the use of certain techniques that he had relied on in the past. This change in fighting style caught Abarai off guard. Finding himself pinned almost immediately, the normally verbose when angered vice-captain was speechless. The captain found the situation almost humorous as he helped the vice-captain to his feet. Seeing him so often in slumber, the captain could now tell which of his moves where instinct and which required conscious thought. The captain could ready himself for what Abarai believed to be a surprise attack. After that training session, Abarai had stopped the captain as the squad returned to the barracks.

"How do you do that?" he asked, still slightly out of breath from the last exercise.

"How do I do what?" The noble knew what he was asking, but feigned ignorance.

"Improve so quickly. I've never seen you even lift a finger in a fight outside of this training field, but still you see through my moves." Abarai took a swig from a water bottle, a thin trail of clear liquid splashing down his chin.

"I have recently come into a mission that requires the use of certain abilities." The captain could not say that the "mission" was the self-assigned task of following his sleeping fukutaicho. He could not explain how familiar he had become with the other man's body. He could not tell him that the reason he had improved so much was that he was actually applying himself to something important. "I am ashamed that you see me as a static goal, Abarai Renji." The captain had left the redhead in a state of shock.

Kuchiki blinked as he came back to the present. He was soaked, warm rivulets of rainwater running down his face. He made no move to get up or seek shelter. The rain felt good against his skin, washing away the tension in his shoulders. Another gust of wind chilled him shortly before the heat of the rain returned. Kuchiki shifted slightly, pulling his legs up and wrapping his arms loosely around his knees. He could see the dark black limiter tattoo on his chest through his practically transparent shirt. It reminded him of extensive tribal markings across dark skin.

He unbuttoned his collar and slipped a pale hand under the wet fabric to rest his palm over the tattoo. He could feel the buzz of repressed reiatsu, and under that, the faint pressure of his heart beating. Despite the warmth of the water, his skin was cold to the touch.

Lightening struck, lighting up the sky for a split second. Out of the corner of his eye, the noble saw a flash of pale pink. Slowly, he turned around, waiting for the next lightening strike. In the moment of light, Kuchiki discovered a tide pool hidden between the rocks. He leaned in closer, lying down, to inspect the pale pink starfish that had adhered to the slick rock face. The rain was falling steadily enough to disturb the surface of the tide pool to the point of no visibility. The noble carefully dangled his fingertips in the water. From the chaotic pool, he pulled a long, silky piece of seaweed. Without thinking, he twined it around his fingers.

Again, the sky lit up with the instantaneous light of day, highlighting the green against his moon-sand skin. For a fleeting moment, he wished to be able to paint his skin the heart achingly rich hues that he dreamed of. Sighing, he placed the seaweed back into the tide pool and turned his back on the starfish. Sitting up, he looked far out onto the dark sea, his mind again wandering.

"Kuchiki-taicho!" The voice carried on the briny wind seemed no more substantial than the fleeting thoughts going through the captain's mind. The voice was familiar, but somehow the tone was not. Thunder rolled across the beach in an almost visible wave, drowning out the voice.

A large hand fell onto the captain's shoulder, a mouth so close to his ear he could feel the breath escape as he said "Kuchiki-taicho" once again. The noble turned wide-eyed toward the face.

Abarai Renji stood so close the captain could feel the heat from his body. Rivulets of rainwater ran down the planes of his face, plastering his hair against his dark skin. His eyes held a look of mild concern, and something else, hidden deeper. Before the captain could find it, the vice-captain blinked and looked away.

"What are you doing out here like this?" Abarai tried to run a hand through his soaked hair, only to give up halfway down. He turned back from his inspection of the muddy beach to look his captain in the eyes. Kuchiki remembered suddenly when the vice-captain had been seemingly afraid to look him directly in the eyes.

"I was watching the storm." Kuchiki answered, his voice soft.

"More like becoming part of it." Abarai crossed his arms over his wide chest. "You're soaked. If you're not careful, you will catch a cold. Gigai are much more susceptible to things like that."

Kuchiki looked at his fukutaicho's soaked jeans and thin t-shirt that clung damply to his chest. The logo on the shirt was unfamiliar to the captain, but the tattoos that showed through the material were intriguing.

"I'm not the only one who's soaking wet, Abarai-fukutaicho." Kuchiki purposely pulled rank on him, hoping to steer the conversation in a different direction.

Abarai would hear none of it.

"I was looking for you." His dark eyes raked across the captain's half-reclined body, leaving trails of heat that had nothing to do with the warm water running down his spine. Abarai seemed to catch himself and looked resolutely at the captain's face. "You said you were going to go for a walk. I started to worry when it got dark, and I decided to come find you when it started raining."

"You came to find me, without thinking to bring an umbrella or even a coat?" Kuchiki's words were harsher than he meant them to be.

"I was worried." Abarai answered, the truth almost painful in his voice. "Anyway, let's head back." He smiled, his face backlighted with a magnificent flash of lightning. He reached a hand out to the captain, who gladly took it. Ignoring the feel of his rough palm, the noble instead focused on carefully standing. His bare feet squished interestingly into the soggy sand. Abarai dropped his hand and turned to head back to the hotel. Kuchiki followed silently, pacing himself to slowly match strides with his vice-captain.

"Abarai, what's your favorite color?" The words spilled unbidden from the captain's mouth. It was a subject he frequently wondered about, but he never had any real intention of asking.

The redhead faltered for a moment, falling out of step with the captain, before regaining himself.

"My favorite color? It changes from time to time."

"What is it right now?" Kuchiki had a long line of lies he would rather not resort to, but would use if Abarai asked why the sudden interest. After all, his birthday was just around the corner.

"Right now, it's probably gray." The vice-captain rubbed his neck awkwardly. "You know, like ashes."

This time it was the captain who faltered. His mind raced back to that first night, Renji's sleep murmured words. The redhead noticed the slightest look of shock on the older shinigami's face.

"What?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Nothing," the noble answered slightly breathless. "I just imagined it to be something more...vivid."

The redhead simply shrugged his shoulders. "We're here."

The noble looked around, surprised to see they were standing in a carpeted hallway. A long trail of soggy footsteps receded down the hallway, disappearing around a corner. Abarai silently slid the key through the lock and pushed the door open, remaining in the hallway to allow the captain to enter first. Byakuya breezed into the room, skillfully hiding his embarrassment.

The room was exceedingly large with a very open floor plan. The far wall was almost completely windows, covered in black satin that contrasted beautifully with the earthy green walls. Facing the windows was a low table with two embroidered pillows on which to sit. Covered in white bedding, the two beds, side by side, stood out starkly against the darker room, their luggage placed carefully at the foot. A sliding door to the left of the main door was partially open, revealing a softly modern bathroom.

Kuchiki heard his vice-captain close the door quietly behind him and kick off his shoes.

"Taicho..." he ventured, "Where are your shoes?"

The captain looked down at his pale and dirt-smeared feet. "I do not know." He answered truthfully. He was not terribly concerned about the loss as the shoes had been uncomfortable at best.

A hand snaked over the noble's shoulder, pushing damp strands of hair away from his face, and coming to rest against his forehead.

"You feel a little warm." Abarai commented. The hand disappeared, leaving behind rapidly reddening skin. Abarai walked around to face the captain. "Do you feel okay? You look flushed."

The captain opened his mouth to calmly reprimand his fukutaicho, but stopped short when he caught the look of concern in his dark eyes.

"Yes, Abarai, I am fine. Let me assure you that the Kuchiki clan is not one that easily succumbs to the weather."

It was at that precise moment Kuchiki let out a small, well controlled, sneeze.

"I am not questioning the health benefits of being a part of the Kuchiki clan, I'm just saying that gigai are especially prone to things like this," Abarai said, grabbing the noble by the shoulder and gently steering him towards the bathroom. "Take a nice, long, hot shower and you'll feel better. I'll set out a towel and some pajamas for you."

This time the noble did not hesitate.

"Abarai Renji, take your hands off of me," Kuchiki warned, his reiatsu growing menacingly.

The red head simply pushed harder.

"Come on, captain, don't be difficult. Urahara-san wanted me to make sure you take care of your gigai."

"Abarai, I can make it to the bathroom of my own accord." The redhead let off. "Besides," he continued, "you are just as soaked as I. Should you not be worrying about yourself?"

Renji looked at him and shrugged. "I've had a chance to build up my gigai's immune system. I don't get sick as easily anymore. I'll be fine until you get out of the shower, then I'll take one. So, just get in there and don't worry about me."

Kuchiki cast a laconic glance at the redhead before sliding the door shut between them. He turned and leaned heavily on the smooth marble of the countertop and looked at himself in the mirror. Now that the warmth of the rain was gone, he found his muscles slightly shivering. His skin was covered in a thin crust of drying sea salt and was beginning to itch. Dark hair was tangled and drying with a slight curl. One lock in particular was sticking out at an almost comical angle. His skin was pale and drawn, dark circles were beginning to appear below his dark eyes.

Byakuya leaned closer. His eyes looked different...more alive.

He shook his head and began to undress. He did not worry about finding a towel or bringing an extra set of clothes into the bathroom. Abarai had said he would take care of it. He carefully stepped out of his pants and dropped his shirt onto the floor. Stepping into the shower, he turned on the water and quickly adjusted the temperature. He pulled the curtain close.

It was then he realized that the shower curtain was only opaque from the floor to about waist high. As there was nothing he could do about it, he simply ignored it.

He switched the water from the faucet to the showerhead. As the water hit his skin, he tensed with the sudden burst of cold. The water slowly warmed up until it was almost scalding hot. The captain liked the way it made his skin red and soft. He ducked under the spray, then was lost to the heat of the water.

About halfway through his shower, the captain felt rather than heard the door to the bathroom open. A gust of cold air found its way into the shower from the open door, causing the captain to shiver before heat soaked back into his skin. Kuchiki ignored what could only be Abarai in favor of washing the suds out of his hair.

After pulling is head out from under the cascade, the noble could still feel the door open. Surely, Abarai had finished by now. He carefully wiped the water from his eyes before opening them.

Renji was standing in the middle of the bathroom, his jaw slightly slack. A neatly folded stack of clothes sat on the counter and a large white towel rested on the back of the toilet. The noble met his vice-captain's gaze through the transparent part of the curtain.

"Abarai, is there anything you need?" Kuchiki asked, slightly annoyed. The open door was letting in relatively cold drafts of air that was ruining the sauna like atmosphere he had been creating.

The redhead blinked heavily before bowing in apology.

"No, Kuchiki-taicho." He turned on a heel and left, his face ablaze with embarrassment.

The noble stared at the closed door for a moment before returning to his shower.

The room slowly filled with steam, to the point that by the time Kuchiki pulled back the curtain, everything had a diffused glow around it. Quickly and without wasting a movement, the noble dried and dressed himself. Tying the yukata around his waist, he braced himself for the influx of cold air waiting for him to open the door. He slid the door back and strode purposely into the room, skillfully hiding how cold he was.

Renji sat cross-legged on the table facing the now open window. At the sound of footsteps, he turned to look.

"Feel better, Taicho?" He smiled.

The noble nodded. "Why are you sitting on the table?"

Abarai blushed. "Well, I didn't want to get anything wet, though I'm not sure it matters much how I'm almost dry myself." He quickly stood. "It's my turn for the shower." The vice-captain breezed by the older man, slamming the door shut behind him. In the newfound silence, the noble could hear Abarai banging around in the bathroom.

The door slammed open and Abarai ducked out.

"Forgot my clothes," he mumbled. He sifted through the duffle bag on the end of his bed, grabbed a wad of fabric, and disappeared back into the bathroom.

Kuchiki sat carefully on the edge of his bed. The room was warm and smelt faintly of tea. The atmosphere of the room was calming, making him want to sleep. Knowing it was at the moment out of the question, he instead reached for his bag. Carefully placed between neatly folded stacks of clothing, the captain found a notebook and fountain pen. He closed the bag and placed it back at the end of the bed. Pulling the blankets back just far enough to crawl under, Kuchiki sat with his back against the wall. He opened the notebook to a blank page and began writing.

At first, he wrote about the mission, but after a while he grew bored with the report. Having the freedom to procrastinate, Kuchiki located a pencil in the top drawer of a bedside table wedged between the beds. After making sure it was properly sharpened, the noble turned the page and began to draw.

As a noble, he had been trained in many fields. Art had never been a strong point of his, but it was enjoyable and relaxing. He found it helped his calligraphy and his concentration.

The random lines slowly morphed into a landscape, each stroke steadily building a scene of a troubled sea at sunset. He became quickly enthralled with the exercise, blocking out all distractions.

Including the sound of the water being turned off in the bathroom.

It was not until the bathroom door opened that the noble realized that Abarai had finished his shower. He looked up just as Renji turned the corner.

The vice-captain absentmindedly towel dried his hair, even as missed rivulets of water streaked down his muscled chest. He was wearing only a pair of dark pajama pants, slung almost obscenely low on his hips. The noble's eyes followed the younger man across the room. Abarai threw himself onto the bed, bouncing. He lay on his stomach, his head hidden under the towel.

The noble cleared his throat and set his notebook aside.

"Abarai," the captain started. Slowly, the vice-captain dragged his hand up from his side to move the towel just enough so a single dark eye peaked out from the folds.

"Yeah, Taicho?"

"I think it's time for me to retire. I shall see you in the morning."

"G'night." Abarai answered and dropped the towel back over his eye.

Kuchiki knew as he crawled under the covers that he would see his vice-captain long before morning. In the weeks since finding out that Abarai was a sleep walker, Kuchiki had come to know Renji never missed a night.

The captain was still awake when Abarai stood and turned the light off. He was still staring at the ceiling when the vice-captain began snoring. Eventually he lost track of time, the only measure being the rhythmic breathing of the other man. He was lulled by the sound of Abarai's deep snoring. His eyes began to drift shut.

They shot open at the sound of the neighboring bed creaking. The captain stilled as he heard the rustle of fabric and the sound of feet hitting the floor.

Whatever time it was, Abarai had begun sleepwalking.

Kuchiki remained still, listening to the sound of movement, just to make sure the vice-captain was indeed asleep. It would all be in vain if the redhead was to find out in such a way. Kuchiki braced himself to hear a door open.

He was not prepared to hear the creak of springs and feel his bed list to one side.

The captain rolled over, only to come uncomfortably close to Renji's sleeping face. His first instinct was to reject his presence, to forcefully shove him out of the suddenly too small bed. Then he saw the peaceful look on Renji's face. It was one he had come to associate with the return home.

"Every sleepwalker walks in search of some goal." Unohana-taicho's words came back to him as he studied the redhead's face. "They never rest soundly until that goal has been filled. The only issue is figuring out what exactly they are in search for, but it's terribly easy to see when they found it."

Byakuya sighed and rolled over to allow Renji more room.

He fell asleep faster than he had in ages.


	3. OMAKE

A/N: This chapter is omake. It is something I decided to add at the last minute, not a part of the original plot (so it doesn't count toward the three chapter count). There was just so much that would be lost if this wasn't in Renji's point of view (technically, third person limited), and I'm not a big fan of switching point of views on my readers. So, consider this simply extra for your enjoyment. As it is from Renji's point of view, it will be considerably less serious (forgive me, I'm not used to it). It also adds next to nothing to the plot line. Lovies :D

YO DAWG! I HEARD YOU LIKE AUTHORS' NOTES, SO I PUT AN AUTHOR'S NOTE IN YOUR AUTHOR'S NOTE SO YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHILE YOU EXPLAIN! *ahem* excuse me. Merry Christmas, this is my gift to you all.

Renji burst out of the bathroom he'd gone into just moments prior.

"Forgot my clothes," he mumbled in explanation, not meeting his captain's eyes. Hurriedly, he rummaged through his bag finally grabbing something at random. Without saying a word, he retreated back into the bathroom.

Every time he closed his eyes, he again saw his half naked captain plastered like adverts across his mind's eye. He dropped his pajama pants on the back of the toilet and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the mental image. As he undressed and stepped into the shower, he glared at the offending shower curtain. If only he hadn't seen his captain…naked…

He slammed his forehead against the cool tile. He just couldn't get rid of the figure in his head. Without looking, he reached over and turned the water all the way to cold. His muscles tensed, giving the redhead temporary relief from the mental pictures that plagued him.

He stood under the freezing spray, trying in vain to empty his mind. Instead, he again saw Byakuya standing in the shower, water cascading down his slight but well-muscled chest, his dark hair limp and shining down his shoulders. All Renji wanted to do was set out some clothes for his captain like a good fukutaicho, but the stupid shower curtain just had to be clear. It left little to his already overactive imagination. He remembered in painful detail the instant that the noble had wiped the water out of his eyes and looked at him. Those gray eyes brought him instantly back from the daydreams he had been following.

He hit his head against the tile again. This wasn't really working. He tried thinking of something else, but it always devolved into something concerning the captain.

"Damn it." Renji whispered, repeatedly banging his head against the wall.

The past few weeks, Renji found himself in dreams involving the captain. They all began innocently enough, with training exercises and the like. Then they began to change. Standing close, a light touch, a puff of breath against the nape of his neck. All perfectly normal things with a logical reason for happening. No big deal, right?

Then all hell broke loose.

Renji kept himself from punching the wall in frustration. These thoughts were fine in the privacy of his own room, but to entertain them while the object of such off color fantasies was sitting in the next room was insane.

The thought of him being so close opened up a new can of worms; a can of very badly timed worms.

The redhead plunged head first under the freezing spray, hoping the water could cleanse his thoughts. It wasn't so much the content as the subject matter. Renji didn't mind the fact that his captain was a male. In Rukongai, things like that were normal. It was the fact it was Kuchiki Byakuya that made him want to sigh.

He knew how to handle explicit dreams, but how exactly do you take a dream about cuddling in stride? That dream was unmanly too. He'd at least like to say he still felt masculine in his dreams, but cuddling?

Renji almost broke the shampoo bottle as his fist clenched.

It was terribly maddening, the entire ordeal.

And Renji suffered alone. God only knew what his friends would say if they knew how he felt. Even a god would never know what his captain thought, as expressionless as he always was.

His teeth began to chatter, but he ignored it, his thoughts more important than the temperature of the water he was standing under.

He completed his shower ignoring ghost touches and imagined sounds.

The redhead stepped out of the shower and dried quickly. As he pulled on his pants, he thanked whatever gods may be that he actually grabbed something that covered his bottom half in his mad dash back into the bathroom.

Though, he was painfully aware about his lack of underwear. He consoled himself with the thought that Byakuya doesn't wear underwear either, but then quickly banished the thought and accompanying mental image.

It wasn't this bad, until the shinigami had seen with his eyes what he could only imagine before.

Before leaving the bathroom, he attempted to compose himself. It would be counterproductive for the captain to see him in such a frazzled state. However, just the thought of facing the captain after thinking such thought shattered what little self-control he had. So, like a child afraid of the dark, the vice-captain covered his head. He ducked out of the bathroom into the warm room, not even glancing at the older man already in bed. He dive bombed his own bed and attempted to bury himself under the pillows. The redhead lay still for a while, listening to the terribly loud sound of his own heart beating.

Again his mind began to wander that dark road.

"Abarai," that infinitely familiar voice broke through his dreams, too real to be a figment of his imagination.

Slowly, he lifted a single corner of his towel to look at his captain.

Kuchiki Byakuya was wreathed in soft light. His hair was still damp, but wondrously unrestrained. Milky pale skin peeked out of the low collar of his finely made burgundy yukata. Renji felt his heart skip a beat at the soft look the captain was giving him. Recently, there had been a change in the captain's eyes.

As if someone had stoked the coals and brought warmth to the ashes.

So caught up with the careful inventory of Kuchiki's appearance, Renji almost missed what he said.

"…see you in the morning."

Renji was glad the other man could not see the blush spread across his face.

"G'night," is all he managed to get out before retreating back into the darkness. He wanted to slap himself for acting like a love sick school girl. These things always seemed to escalate at night. He knew that if he didn't get his emotions under wraps, it might trigger his sleepwalking.

He had ceased to get reports from Unohana-taicho. When he asked her directly, she had simply said that there was no need for the Fourth Division to keep an eye on him anymore. Renji assumed he had been getting better. He still didn't sleep well, but he was glad that he was no longer a burden on anyone.

Renji listened carefully to his captain's breathing. As he never snored, it was difficult to tell when the older shinigami had fallen asleep. He peeked out from under his towel. Abarai quickly stood and switched the overhead light off before diving back into bed.

It took a while for the redhead to calm down enough to drift off to sleep. His nerves were gnawing at him. He rolled back and forth on his bed, looking for that one comfortable spot. When he thought he found it, his muscles would start to crawl, forcing him to move.

Finally, his body relaxed and Abarai drifted off to the most vivid of dreams…

About paperwork.

He sat at his desk in the empty Sixth Division offices, filling out report sheets from the last mission. Well, the last five missions as he had been procrastinating again. He sat down his pen and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his sore hand.

He had extra time before the captain returned from a family gathering and was trying to catch up before Byakuya knew how far behind he was.

As he was relaxing, the door to the offices slid open, almost silently, but still making the man jump. He turned to look at the door like a guilty puppy. It was the captain.

Byakuya leaned heavily on the door frame. His hair was pulled back in the kenseikan, three pieces of dark hair falling artfully into his face. The noble's normal traditional dress was replaced by a well-tailored suit. The black jacket was buttoned over a white button up. A tie hung snugly around his long neck, slightly off kilter. A starched white square, carefully embroidered with the logo of the Sixth Division, peaked out of the breast pocket.

Renji clamped his jaw to keep his mouth from dropping open.

The redhead hurried to stand as Kuchiki entered the room, almost falling over himself. The captain didn't even acknowledge the presence of the younger shinigami as he walked gracefully to his desk.

"Taicho," Renji started, staring at the floor to keep from staring wide-eyed at the captain. "I trust the family gathering went well."

Byakuya let out something frighteningly close to a laugh.

"As well as they ever do, Abarai, considering my family. However, it is still beyond me as to why they requested we wear such modern apparel."

Renji looked up briefly. Kuchiki was facing away from him, looking over his shoulder at the vice-captain. The redhead's eyes drank in the captain.

Man, that suit made his butt look good.

"What do you think?" The captain asked, a glint of pink in his eye.

Renji cleared his throat, searching for something polite and offhand to say.

"Umm…it's very flattering." His voice rose at the end, making it sound like a question.

"Thank you, Abarai, but that is not what I asked you."

"Huh?" Renji wracked his brain for what the captain had said.

"I said I was thinking of postponing that paperwork you have on your desk."

The redhead nodded silently. The noble chuckled, turned to face him.

"Now, Abarai, you have more experience with these sorts of closures. Come help me out of this suit."

Renji just stared at him. There was no way that those words had just come out of his captain's mouth. Kuchiki began fiddling with one of the buttons on his suit, illustrating his inability.

Slowly, as if approaching a wild animal, Renji walked over to his captain. The older man dropped his hands to his side. Carefully, the redhead reached out, giving the other man plenty of time to correct him if he was doing something wrong.

Kuchiki simply stared at him until he looked down, grey eyes boring into his own.

Renji deftly unfastened the buttons. He hesitated before sliding his hands under the warm jacket and pushing it over his shoulders. Moving closer, he reached around the still man, catching the jacket as it slid off his arms before hitting the floor. The captain's shoulders were wider than he'd expected. He could see the well-toned muscles under the thin white fabric of the button up shirt.

Without moving away, the vice-captain folded the jacket over the back of the captain's chair. He reached for the tie next, looking at his captain for permission to continue. The look in his eyes pinned Renji to the spot. He couldn't read them, but he could feel their intensity down his spine. He blushed and looked down, focusing on undoing the tie.

The captain's neck was warm and smooth. Renji breathed in his faint and intoxicating scent. He put that out of his mind and focused on the knot. After a few seconds of fumbling, he pulled the tie out from one side of the collar. He laid it with the jacket.

Renji looked at the buttons on his captain's shirt move as he breathed. Surely the noble didn't expect him to undress him completely, but if he couldn't even undo the large buttons on the jacket, there was no way he could handle the smaller buttons on his shirt.

Renji didn't even want to think about what he was going to do about his captain's pants.

"Do you want me to…" the younger shinigami found his mouth suddenly dry.

"To what, Renji?" The captain's smooth voice sent shivers through the larger man's body.

"T-t-t-to c-con-continue." Renji stuttered, blushing madly. He was becoming aware of how close their bodies were, and another, more pressing issue.

He found this interactive strip-tease very…stimulating.

"Of course," Byakuya replied.

Renji swallowed hard and tried to think of other things. He started with the links at the cuffs, easily slipping the shining metal out of the holes. He placed them carefully on the desk. They looked like they cost more than he made in a year.

He took a deep breath to calm himself as he reached for the top button, only making things worse as he breathed in his captain's scent. His hands began to shake as he worked his way down. Slowly, he revealed pale planes of skin and muscle. Quickly, but gently, he untucked the tails of the shirt. The fabric opened to expose the entirety of his lithe torso. Renji's eyes followed pale skin until it disappeared into the waistband of his slacks.

Just like with the jacket, Renji slipped his hands under the fabric to push it over the captain's shoulders, trying to keep his hands as far away from Byakuya's warm skin. Before the redhead had a chance to react, the noble had a hand fisted in the collar of his kosode. He looked up, startled, his hands freezing.

The noble was blushing.

Renji found that his shyness had left him. He dropped his hands on his captain's shoulders and dragged them down, feeling the warm muscles of his chest quiver under soft skin. The redhead locked eyes with the shorter man and watched as his pupils burst into large discs in his gray eyes. As his hands reached the captain's narrow hips, Renji wrapped his arms around the small of his back, pulling him closer.

Renji almost started laughing as his unflappable captain blushed deeper and gasp as their hips collided. Instead, he leaned in and claimed those full lips for himself. At first, Byakuya was unresponsive, but quickly gained control of the kiss, biting Renji's lip. The redhead sighed and the older shinigami took advantage. Pleasure rippled through his body as Byakuya pressed his body against his vice-captain.

Suddenly, Byakuya pulled away and kicked Renji in the shin.

The redhead awoke with a start.

He shook his head, trying to clear the dreams from his mind. They were getting more realistic as time went on. He could still feel Byakuya in his arms. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see a shadow next to him. He breathed in and smelled the faint scent of cherry blossoms. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes. When his vision cleared, he froze.

Kuchiki Byakuya was asleep in his arms. His face was so close, Renji could feel each exhale. Dark hair fanned out across the pillow, mixing with red and tickling Renji's cheek. Renji had one arm folded under his pillow, the other draped over the noble's waist.

He lay there for a moment, uncomprehending. Then, the entire situation and its implications slid into place like a guillotine. That's when he started to panic. He retreated, falling off the bed in his haste. He froze, holding his breath, afraid that he had woken the captain.

Byakuya rolled over to where Renji had been laying, but remained asleep.

Renji scrambled to his feet, dashing for the bathroom. Once inside, he quietly slid the door shut. There was a second of silence, then his knees gave out in panic and he fell to the floor.

What was he doing in his captain's bed? With his arm around him like he owned him, too. He must have been sleepwalking again. That was the only explanation. His hands found his long hair and began to pull. How could he do something so stupid? That was crossing way too many lines for comfort. Byakuya could have woken up and beat him to a pulp, killed him with Senbonzakura, demoted him. What would he think of him if he would have known they were in bed together? That he was a lecherous creep who couldn't be trusted.

Renji took a rattling breath and pressed his face against the floor, trying to calm down. His heart was racing, adrenaline flooding his veins. If he wasn't careful, the fluctuation of his reiatsu would wake the captain. How on earth would he explain himself then?

Plans began half-forming in his mind. Should he come clean about it and tell his captain about his sleepwalking? No, that wouldn't end well. Several other ideas came to mind before Renji decided on one thing.

Kuchiki Byakuya could never find out.

He picked himself up off the floor, that single thought stilling his mind. He opened the door and silently began damage control.

Sneaking over to the opposite side of the bed from a sleeping Byakuya, Renji smoothed out the blankets and fluffed the pillows, making it seem as if no one had slept there. He even tucked the corners of the sheets under like the maids do. He looked at his captain to make sure he was still sound asleep. His breathing was even, a faint smile on his face. Renji let out a sigh of relief and began phase two of his rapidly forming plan. He walked over to his own bed and ripped the sheets off. As quietly as possible, he ruffled then before throwing them back onto the bed in a wad. He glanced at the older shinigami.

Still asleep. Good.

Renji stood at the food of his bed and pondered what to do about himself. He quickly rejected the idea of waiting up for his captain. It was a miracle he even woke up before him today. The noble was a notoriously early riser. The redhead knew he probably couldn't get back to sleep in the state that he was in.

But maybe he could act like he was asleep.

Renji climbed carefully into his bed, hyper-aware of any noise he was making, and laid down. After a moment, he burrowed under a pillow, hiding his face. He didn't have the same talents as his captain. There was no way he could hold a straight face long enough to convince anyone that he was asleep.

He put that out of his mind and focused instead on keeping his breathing steady, counting every inhale until Byakuya woke.

This is MidnightDeception's beta. Sorry about those two typos. They've been fixed. If you didn't notice them, typos? What typos?


	4. We Will Find Each Other in the Deep

A/N: Well, this is the last of it. Sorry for the delay. Let me know what you think, reviews always inspire me. Thanks, Mia, for beta-ing this for me :D

Kuchiki Byakuya sat perched in a tree, rough bark pressing uncomfortably into his spine. From his vantage point, he looked over Seireitei, searching for that elusive flash of red.

The night had started with the noble being awoken by the disappearance of Abarai's reiatsu, the normal indication that the redhead was readying for bed. However, the odd nagging feeling that the captain used to track the younger shinigami never manifested. Worried, Kuchiki threw back his covers and quickly dressed. He was still pulling on his haori as the he left the room. There was no time for the kenseikan, nor for the heirloom scarf he normally took everywhere with him.

Without wasting time, the captain flash stepped to the last place he had felt Abarai's reiatsu. Unsurprisingly, he found himself outside Abarai's quarters in the Sixth Division barracks.

There was no answer when Kuchiki knocked.

Carefully, he tried the handle, not surprised to find it unlocked. He pushed the door open and peeked inside. The room was cluttered, but empty. The captain stepped into the small room.

A single bed, unmade, sat packed in one corner, leaving the rest of the room open. There was a cushion in the middle of the floor that looked like it had seen much better days. Judging by the marks on the walls, the captain assumed that this was where Abarai communicated with Zabimaru. Finished with his cursory glance around to room to make sure it was empty, the captain took a deep breath.

It smelled like him.

Kuchiki put that thought away and focused on the lingering reiatsu in the room. Abarai's energy seemed permanently pressed into the walls. Even so, the captain could feel that it was faded. It had been some time since the vice-captain was in this room.

Looking again around the room, the noble found himself surrounded by his essence, from the beaten pillow to a basket full of multi-colored bandanas. Everything fit his personality so simply, the captain felt unwelcome. There was no place for the noble in this tiny space. He felt intrusive, like he had stumbled upon something secret and personal.

As he turned to leave, something caught his eye.

Taped to the back of the door was a photograph. In it, Abarai was standing behind the captain, an arm thrown over his shoulder. The noble was looking at the camera with a faintly annoyed expression, one eyebrow raised inquisitively. Behind them, the sky was gloomy and dark. Kuchiki moved to look closer at the picture. There was a faint blush high on the younger shinigami's cheeks, though his huge smile was genuine.

Byakuya reached out to touch the photograph. Here was something that made him feel like he had a place in Abarai's world. As he stared at the photograph, that day bubbled to the forefront of his mind.

All morning, Abarai had been strangely jumpy and distant. The captain understood, having woken up wrapped in his arms that morning. It had been a unique experience, one that was all together not unpleasant. The noble couldn't remember the last time he had awoken so warm and comfortable. However, there were two sides to the situation. Out of courtesy, Kuchiki kicked the other man and feigned sleep when he woke, disoriented and confused, letting him make his own decisions. The noble watched through his eyelashes as acknowledgement dawned on the redhead's face, replacing the drowsy look of sleep. It took all the self-control he possessed not to react as the vice-captain fell from the bed in shock. The captain rolled over and pressed his face into the pillow that Abarai had been monopolizing to hide a smile, only to be assaulted by his unique scent. Shortly after Abarai had returned to his own bed, Kuchiki got up and began preparation for the day.

That picture marked the first time the two had even gotten close that day.

"Taicho! Say cheese!" was all the warning the captain got before Abarai had snaked both arms around his shoulders, one hand holding the camera, and pressed himself against the shorter man's back.

With the amount of surprise that full body contact had induced, the captain was glad that it only came across as faint annoyance in the photograph.

Kuchiki dropped his hand just before touching the picture. As quickly as he came, he left, nothing but the faintest hint of sakura to show he was ever there.

Leaving the Sixth Division barracks, the captain began a systematic search of Seireitei. He stopped random shinigami, asking after Abarai. Time after time, they shook their heads and offered their apologies.

That brought the noble to where he was, high in a tree. In all of Seireitei, there was not a trace of Abarai's reiatsu, nor a soul who had seen him since the sun had set. Kuchiki turned, looking out over the wall. That was the only other place he could be.

Dropping from the tree, the captain started for the nearest gate. Once outside, he headed for the river, but something told him that the redhead wasn't there. He pressed on anyway.

Kuchiki stopped at the edge of the river where he had first found the sleepwalker. Already, the captain was panting. Disregarding that, he began flash stepping down the bank, searching both sides of the river for any sign of his vice-captain.

As he ran, a feeling like a punch in the stomach made him stagger to a stop. The captain doubled over, holding his stomach, and tried to catch his breath. He looked around for his attacker, before realizing that the knot of pain deep in his stomach was the same feeling of unease that he was used to, only multiplied.

That was new. Having that uncomfortable feeling so concentrated, it was hard for the captain to focus for a second. It set off so many alarm bells.

The captain began running again, pushing himself faster. Branches cut into his face and neck as he ran, but he didn't notice. He no longer followed the path of the river, instead forging his own path through the forest. Panic blinded him, his feet falling only in accordance to the pain in his chest. He had to find his fukutaicho. That single thought propelled him forward.

He ran, not paying any attention to where he was. The trees passed by in blurs. He didn't mind the grays, browns, and greens. He was chasing that fiery red that had eluded him all night.

When the trees stopped, so did the noble. He skidded on gravel and looked around.

A huge lake spread out before him, the rocky shore coming almost right to the tree line. The surface was calm, dark waters reflecting the waning moon a thousand times over. An old pier extended to the middle of the lake, almost reaching where the moon was in the water. As soon as the captain saw it, he began flash stepping again, ignoring his irregular breathing pattern.

There, at the end of the pier, was the shadowy figure of Abarai, shirtless with his red hair billowing in the wind.

As the captain turned onto the seemingly endless dock, he called out, trying to awaken the other man. The redhead looked up, his back to the water. However, no voice could wake him, only turning for the night wind. A smile spread across his face and he lifted his arms.

"RENJI!" The captain called desperately as the younger shinigami fell backwards into the water.

Byakuya didn't know if time slowed down, or if his ability to process what he saw simply sped up, but to him it took ages for the redhead to reach the water. His face was so peaceful, as if he had found what he was looking for in the water's cold grasp at last.

The splash he made sounded so final.

Still running, the captain shed his haori. Reaching the end of the dock just as the water stilled over where Renji disappeared, he didn't hesitate and dived in after him.

It took everything the captain had not to gasp as he hit the water. Instantly, his muscles and even his bones began to ache in the cold. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but darkness. Still, he swam deeper. Just as his lungs began to burn, there was a shadow in the murky water and just the faintest hint of crimson. Renewed, the captain dived after the figure.

Renji's face was slack; bubbles escaping his nose as he slowly sank. Byakuya reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him up. He wrapped an arm around the larger man's waist and began kicking for the surface.

The noble had no idea how long they had been underwater, but by the time they made it to the surface, his lungs felt like they were made of lead. Gasping for air, he began swimming for the shore, trying desperately to keep Renji's head above water.

This man could literally sleep through anything.

What seemed like eons but could have only been moments past. Finally, the captain dragged the larger man onto the shore. Renji's legs were still in the water, but Byakuya could not summon the strength to do anything about it. The redhead was heavy enough without being soaking wet. The wind kicked up, making both men shiver. Byakuya stared at the prone body of his fukutaicho for a moment, his mind completely blank. Then his emergency training kicked in and the captain lost himself in the procedures.

Renji wasn't breathing, that much was obvious.

Carefully, the noble tilted Renji's head back, clamping his nose shut. He closed his eyes as he sealed his lips over the open mouth of his vice-captain, breathing out. Pulling away, he watched Renji's chest, checking to see if he was breathing on his own.

The well-muscled chest did not move.

Again he repeated the process, searching for any signs of life.

"Renji, don't you dare die on me," the captain ordered, slapping his face, trying to wake him. He pressed an ear against his cold chest, listening for a heartbeat. Finding it, weak and quiet, Byakuya started another round of CPR.

As their mouths met again, Byakuya felt the younger shinigami begin to stir. As he breathed out, he could feel the other man breath in. When he pulled away, Renji's eyes were cloudy, but open. A hand fisted itself in the captain's kosode, pulling him down.

Renji pressed his lips against Byakuya's for only an instant before rolling over and coughing up water.

Shocked, the captain simply rubbed his back as spasms shook Renji's body as it rejected the water he had swallowed. Eventually the violent coughing subsided and Abarai rolled onto his back, gasping.

The noble felt drained, the adrenaline that had kept him moving finally running out in face of such major relief. He leaned over the younger shinigami, bracing his hands on either side of his head.

A drop of water slid down his nose and dripped onto Renji's face.

"Are you okay?" Byakuya asked, his voice cracking. The redhead nodded slowly.

The noble sighed in relief, his arms giving out. He laid his head against Renji's chest, comforted by the contact.

"Good," He murmured as his eyes closed against his will. "You can't leave me. I don't want you to go." He breathed in, practically tasting the cold in the air, and sighed, asleep.

Byakuya woke up warm with the feel of long fingers trailing through his hair. For a moment, he was disoriented. The feel of the coarse sheets and western style bed beneath him was foreign. The hands in his hair were gentle, coaxing out tangles and teasing his scalp. The captain tensed up for a moment in the unfamiliar situation before he realized why it felt so warm.

The entire room was filled with Renji's reiatsu.

The noble slowly opened his eyes. The room he was in had become familiar in the past few months. He was lying in Renji's bed, the ceiling above him as scarred as the walls. Long fingers continued to wind themselves through his hair. Byakuya sighed in contentment. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Renji sitting at the bedside.

The vice-captain stared at the far wall, his face peaceful. His long hair spilled down over his shoulders, contrasting with the dark t-shirt he was wearing. He was humming a faintly familiar tune, one the captain remembered from his childhood.

Byakuya turned his head to get a better look. The redhead jumped, falling silent and removing his hand from his captain's hair.

His scalp prickled at the loss of contact.

There was a blush high on Renji's cheeks. The vice-captain looked awkwardly at his hands folded in his lap. He looked comically oversized sitting in a small fold out chair.

"Taicho!" He said, his voice jumping oddly. He cleared his throat and continued. "How do you feel?" He continued staring at his fidgeting hands. He looked up suddenly when the captain reached out and placed a thin hand on a tattooed arm.

"I am fine, Renji, just tired. Help me sit up."

The blush on the redhead's face deepened, spreading to the tips of his ears, but he still stood to obey. He slipped an arm around Byakuya's shoulders and carefully maneuvered him into a sitting position. The captain flinched as his muscles stretched painfully.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, nervous. The noble fought to keep his mask in place.

"Yes, Abarai. I assure you I am feeling whole and well." The captain looked down to find he was dressed in an oversized yukata. "Did you change my clothes?"

Renji's face turned roughly the same color as his hair. For a moment, his mouth opened and closed like a fish before he finally found his voice.

"I made tea," the younger shinigami stated before disappearing behind a small divider. "It's not the stuff you're used to, but it's warm." He returned carrying two chipped cups. He handed one to the captain and perched lightly on the edge of the bed.

A long silence descended as they sipped their tea. The noble thought of saying something first, but simply returned to his tea.

Renji had something to say. He could see it in his eyes. The captain knew that if he said something that the burning in his vice-captain's eyes would fade as he hid behind a different conversation. The only way he would hear what was on the younger shinigami's was if he waited patiently for him to begin speaking.

He didn't have to wait long.

The redhead looked up from his tea, meeting his captain's gray eyes bravely.

"How long have you known?"

The captain smiled into his cup. No beating around the bush, right to the point. Subtle as a brick to the face. He toyed with the idea of skirting the question. Meeting the taller shinigami's shining brown eyes, he decided against it.

"A few months." Byakuya calmly sipped his tea as his vice-captain processed that. He expected anger, frustration, anything but the defeat that appeared on the tattooed face.

Renji rubbed his neck awkwardly. "So, you're the reason I stopped getting reports from Unohana-taicho."

The captain nodded. He did not elaborate on how often he had dragged the sleeping man back to this room. He did not explain the feeling that kept him from sleeping until the vice-captain was safely back in bed. He did not say anything about the feeling that went beyond duty that kept him so close to the other man. In fact, he decided as he drank the slightly bitter tea that he wouldn't say anything unless the redhead specifically asked.

"How did you find me tonight?"

"The same way I found you every night before that." The noble looked up just in time to see the look of confusion cross the redhead's face.

"Every night?" He asked, incredulous. "You mean you, personally, tracked me down every night?"

Byakuya nodded again, waiting in silence for the next question. He finished his tea and looked around to find a place to set the empty cup. Renji took it from him, their hands grazing, and set both cups into the recently abandoned chair.

"Wow," Renji said, turning back and looking at his hands. "And to think I thought that I had been keeping it such a good secret."

The dark-haired shinigami reached out and placed a thin hand on a tattooed forearm, deciding to ask a question of his own.

"What do you dream of that makes you wander so far?"

The vice-captain looked up, wide eyed. Something deep in his auburn eyes hardened. The look of resolve was tempered by the blush developing on his face.

"What did I dream of?" He asked himself, shifting on the bed and moving closer to the older man. "I dreamed of the real world. I dreamed of moon kissed waters and impossibly vibrant coral. I dreamed of fire and ashes, oil and porcelain."

Renji reached out and treaded his hand through his captain's hair.

"I dreamed of you."

Byakuya couldn't process anything as the redhead leaned forward and covered his lips with his own. The feel of his soft skin shattered the finely made noble's mask. The older man wound both of his hands into the fiery locks they had itched to touch and pulled the other man closer.

The captain felt as if he was underwater again, this time drenched in fire. They breathed each other in, fashioning air from a wish. He clung to the larger man like a life raft in the middle of the storm. He didn't pay attention to anything that was around him, they might as well be back in those dark depths. All that mattered was the feel of Renji's body over his own and the sweet kisses passed between them as if one kiss could save the world.


End file.
